Only a couple of weeks ago we were congratulating Jon Bauer on winning the Indie Award for Best Debut Fiction. We thought we should wait a couple of breaths before also clinking a glass to him for his inclusion on the 2011 Miles Franklin Literary Award Longlist. Rocks in the Belly just goes from strength to strength and is definitely an office favourite.

Also on this highly prestigious list – there are 9 titles in total – is Melina Marchetta for The Piper’s Son.

In 2009, fellow Booked Outers Sofie Laguna and Toni Jordan were longlisted for One Foot Wrong and Addition respectively. And cruciverbalist (er, crossword setter), author and Dictionary Guy David Astle was shortlisted in 1986 for his first novel Marzipan Plan.

The 2011 shortlist is announced on April 19.